Garment clamping device



Sept. 28, 1954 F. GLATTES 2,689,996

GARMENT CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Jan. 24, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet i A T?" Off/YE Y P 28, 1954 F. GLATTES GARMENT CLAMPING DEVICE 3 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Jan. 24, l951 IN V EN TOR. 6L4 TTES FRANK A TTOR/VE) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 24, 1951 vrllllpallpnulpplppn,

1 NV E NTOR FRANK 61.4 rrzs ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, i954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT CLAMPING DEVICE Frank Glattes, Akron, Ohio Application January 24, 1951, Serial No. 207,524

This invention relates to clamping devices, and in particular relates to clamping devices especially adaptable for use in the dry cleaning industry for securing overlapping edge portions of garments being subjected to steaming treatment on a garment finisher, or garment pressing form.

In the steaming of an article of wearing apparel, such as a suit or a coat, on a garment finisher, the article is normally placed over a supporting form which is covered by a somewhat porous bag. Steam pressure is then supplied from within the porous bag to balloon the same, and the garment supported thereon, into distended condition, thereby straightening out the wrinkles in the garment and facilitating proper treatment of the same.

Because the garment being steamed is thus subjected to substantial expanding pressure applied by the bag, it is usually necessary to secure together any frontal, or other overlapping edge portions of the garment to hold the same in place on the form.

Clamping devices have been provided of the type comprising a pair of spring-pressed, pivotally connected, clamping jaws, but these have been found generally ineffective or inefiicient for the present purposes. Primarily, such devices are capable only of gripping a very limited area of a garment with corresponding limitations in the beneficial use thereof.

Use of fastening means such as safety pins, or fastening means provided on the garments themselves (e. g. buttons, zippers, hook and eye clasps, etc.), for securing the garment openings as described, have been found unsatisfactory, particularly because of an increased amount of time necessarily expended, with no increase in the quality of work done in the steaming operation, and with a corresponding loss in profits.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a clamping device of the character described by which cooperating edge portions of a garment may be firmly held in requisite overlapping relationship along a substantial length thereof for a subsequent steaming operation on a garment finisher.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamping device of the character described which is self-operating to position opposed clamping plates thereof for ready application on a garment, for example.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved clamping device of the character described having features whereby buttons 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-252) or other fastening devices on the garments will not materially interfere with the clamping action thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will be self-evident from the following brief descrip-' tion and the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a clamping device embodying the features of the invention as applied to a coat.

- Figure 2 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 1, showing another use of the improved device.

Figure 3 is a top plan view, on an elongated scale, of the clamping device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-section, taken substantially on the lines 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-section taken substantially on the lines 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a side elevation, showing the device in operation.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view, on the same scale as Figure 3, of a modified form of clamping plate.

Figure 8 is a transverse cross-section taken substantially on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Referring particularly to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a clamping device It embodying the features of the invention, the same including an elongated clamping plate or member I 1! of substantial width, in the nature of a spatula, and being of relatively thin and flexible material, such as metal, and a similar spatulalike clamping plate or member 12, of substantially the same size and material, mounted in association with the member I I so as to be yieldingly movable from and toward superposed clamping position of said relatively movable member l2 and said member I I, as best shown in Figure 4.

For relatively movable mounting the clamping member 52, as described, it may have extending from the outer face thereof longitudinally centrally of the same, a bracket [5, defining upturned spaced lugs I6, It to which are pivotally attached, one free end of an arm l1 having -the opposite free end thereof pivoted to a longitudinal extension 2i of member i l at a point adjacent one end thereof. The last-named pivotal connection may comprise a pair of laterally spaced lugs i8, [8 on the arm ll, pivoted on a pin l9 received through oppositely disposed, laterally spaced lugs 20, 29 on extension 2| of clamping plate H. The clamping plates H and I2 may be urged apart of manual pressure applied to a pair of widely separated, relatively narrow handles 22 and 23, which constitute an integral longitudinal extension of the arm l1, and a coextensive continuation of the extension 2| of the member H, respectively, such manual pressure being so applied against the yielding action of a compression spring 24 suitably attached between the handles 22 and 23 at a point closely adjacent the pivot pin 19.

For the purpose of facilitating quick reception of overlapping edge portions of a garment between the clamping plates II and [2, the free outer end of the movable clamping plate l2 may be curved outwardly in the direction away from the relatively fixed plate H as indicated at 26. Reception of the garment between the plates is further enhanced by provision of a Weight 24 at the other end of the movable plate i2, on the outer face thereof, thereby causing the plate l2 to assume an outwardly divergent position, as shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 4, upon operating the handles 22 and 23 to move the clamping plates apart.

In use of the improved device for clamping a garment in closed condition, as for a steam-treating operation thereon, the device I89 may be opened to the divergent condition of the clamping plates shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 4, by gripping the handles 22 and 23 against the yielding action of the spring 24. In this position of the clamping plates, the overlapped edge portions of the garment may then be readily received between the same, and clamping pressure is applied thereto by the spring 24 upon. release of the manual gripping pressure on the handles 22 and 23 (see Figures 3 and 6).

Conversely, the clamping device It] is similarly easily released from the garment after the steaming operation thereon, by squeezing the handles 22 and. 23 together to separate said clamping plates.

In Figures 7 and 8, there is illustrated a modification of the invention, wherein non-skid gripping means is provided on the surface of each clamping plate I l and I2. As best shown in Figure 8, the improved gripping means may comprise a sheet 30, 30 of perforated heat-resistant material applied over the inner surface of each clamping plate and folded around the edge portion of the same. The closely spaced perforations in the sheets 30, 30 provide numerous edge portions which grip the garment material to minimize accidental removal of the clamp. It is also manifest that the non-skid gripping means may be an integral part of the respective plates II and I2.

Other modifications of the invention may be resorted to without deviating from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A garment clamping device, comprising: an elongated surface clamping member having a handle at one end; a lever arm having a handle on one end thereof disposed in longitudinally aligned pivotal relationship to said handle on said surface clamping member; a second elongated surface clamping member, having a lug member intermediate its ends pivotally secured to said lever arm, whereby the surface of said second-named surface clamping member is spaced at a distance from the point of pivotal connection between said lug and said lever arm; tension means, operable to normally urge said clamping members into engagement; a weight secured to said second named clamping, member at its end adjacent the pivotal connection of said first named surface clamping member and said lever arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,615,889 Senn Feb. 1, 1927 1,973,009 Mix Sept. 11, 1934 2,417,838 Paris Mar. 25, 1947 2,453,488 Bowen Nov. 9, 1948 2,513,427 Richa July 4, 1950 

